Sport & Physical Activity Grants & Funding
There are 172 UK funders offering grants for sport & physical activity charities, with typical awards from £100 to £500,000.
Sport and physical activity grants support charities and community organisations using sport as a tool for positive change. Funding comes from dedicated sports bodies — Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales, and Sport Northern Ireland — as well as from trusts, foundations, and corporate funders. Projects range from grassroots participation programmes and facility improvements to elite athlete development and sport-for-development initiatives. Many funders in this space focus on using sport to achieve broader social outcomes: reducing youth crime, improving mental health, building community cohesion, and tackling health inequalities. Women's and girls' participation, disability sport, and engaging inactive populations are current priorities. Capital grants are available for facilities — pitches, courts, equipment, and changing rooms — from several dedicated programmes. The emphasis across the sector is on sustainability, inclusion, and reaching those who face the greatest barriers to participation. Community sports clubs, coaching programmes, and outdoor activity projects all attract strong funding support.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 172
- Grant Range
- £100 - £500,000
- Open to Applications
- 62%
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Clear filtersFilters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.
Sport & Physical Activity Funders
8 of 172 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 38 of 172 funders. 134 not yet verified are listed below; 30 that don't fit were excluded.
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014
Matching programme: Recreational Facilities Development
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014 serves as trustee for CISWO, a national charity dedicated to advancing health, relieving poverty and ha...
Fletchers Trust
Matching programme: The Fletchers' Trust
The Fletchers Trust, rooted in the philanthropic heritage of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, drives a mission to enable disabled people to partic...
Football Foundation
Matching programme: Grass Pitch Creation Grant
The Football Foundation, established in 2000 by the Premier League, The FA, and the UK Government via Sport England, is the UK's largest sports charit...
Greenham Trust Ltd
Matching programme: Community Wellbeing Fund
Greenham Trust Ltd, founded in 1997 as Greenham Common Community Trust following the closure of RAF Greenham Common, reinvests commercial income from ...
Hargreaves Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Hargreaves Foundation, established in 2020 by Peter Hargreaves—co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown—and his family with a £100 million endowment, dis...
J G Graves Charitable Trust
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The J G Graves Charitable Trust, founded in 1930 by Sheffield businessman and philanthropist John George Graves, is a legacy-driven funder dedicated t...
Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Local Grants
The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust is an independent Welsh grant-maker founded to harness the legacy of the Millennium Stadium for enhancing qual...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Matching programme: Community Grants
Woodsmith Foundation Limited, established in 2012 as the York Potash Foundation and now funded by Anglo American via a unique 0.5% revenue share from ...
134 funders not yet verified against these filters
We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.
Tips for Applying to Sport & Physical Activity Funders
Align your application with Sport England's Uniting the Movement framework, which prioritises connecting communities, positive experiences for children, active environments, and tackling health inequalities through movement. Reference Active Lives Survey data to demonstrate participation levels and inactivity rates in your target community, showing the specific gap your project addresses. Focus your application on engaging inactive populations rather than serving those who already participate in sport — funders in this space are shifting resources toward the people who face the greatest barriers to being active. Describe your behaviour change approach, referencing models such as COM-B or the transtheoretical model to show that your programme is designed around how people actually change habits rather than assuming that providing activities is sufficient. Address safeguarding in sport explicitly, detailing your policies, training, and culture around protecting participants, particularly children and vulnerable adults. Present sustainability plans that show how participation will continue beyond the funded period — through volunteer coaching capacity, club development, or integration with existing community sport infrastructure. Strong applications demonstrate that your project creates lasting behavioural change rather than short-term participation spikes, and show how you will measure physical activity levels alongside broader social outcomes.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Sport & Physical Activity Grants
What grants are available for sport & physical activity charities in the UK?
There are 172+ UK funders offering grants for sport & physical activity charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.
How much funding can sport & physical activity organisations get?
Grant amounts for sport & physical activity charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.
How do I apply for sport & physical activity grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your sport & physical activity work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 172+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Sport & Physical Activity Funders
Describe Your Charity
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Our AI ranks all 172 sport & physical activity funders by how well they fit your specific work.
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Which of These 172 Funders Are Right for You?
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